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Bicyclist injured in accident identified

The bicyclist struck by a car Tuesday morning on Groesbeck Street was identified as Steven Paul Tucker, 41, of Grand Haven Township.

Becky Vargo

Dec 28, 2011

Tucker was riding his Trek mountain bike on the edge of Groesbeck, just west of 152nd Avenue in Grand Haven Township, when he was struck by a 2002 Jeep Liberty about 7:30 a.m., said Lt. Lee Hoeksma of the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department. The driver of the sport utility vehicle — Tammi Renee Cooper, 45, of Grand Haven Township — said she never saw the bicyclist, Hoeksma said.

The bicyclist was wearing dark clothing and did not have a light or reflectors on his bicycle, Hoeksma said. Conditions were dark and rainy at the time.

Tucker was taken by ambulance to North Ottawa Community Hospital. He was listed in good condition this morning, a hospital spokesperson said.

Comments

Since the Sun does not rise in this area at this time of year until after 8am, its safe to assume it was dark when this occured. It is reported to be dark and rainy!
Wearing dark clothes anytime to ride is not smart. Wearing dark clothes, not using lights, riding in the dark and rain, getting hit by a car, not an accident!
I have ridden to work and for recreation quite extensively in this area. It is common to see other riders blatantly ignoring traffic control devices, and riding at night without proper lighting. I remember one guy I used to pass in the morning on the Grand River draw bridge. Just one little "blinky froggy" light on his arm, facing rearward. The lights I have are fairly inexpensive but are quite bright. I have had too many close calls in the broad daylight to not do all I can to make myself visible in good conditions and in bad.
As more people ride to save money or to help stay in shape, the rules must be followed even more. Bicyclists have the legal right to use the roadways, but they also have the responsibility to follow the laws, as do drivers. As everyone has witnessed we could all use some help in that department.
I would ask that, besides writting tickets for speeding, which sometimes seems to be the only violation that is actively enforced, these kinds of obvious violations be enforced as well.
Otherwise, it will become more common that these type of injuries and probably deathes, will be news items.

kevswearingen, when this bicyclists gets out of the hospital and wheels himself over to an attorneys office with plans to sue the driver that hit him for a million dollars then, maybe you can ask him the same question. Cross country bicyclists are the most arrogant group(not individual) of people you'll meet. Not sure if Steve belongs to this creed or not. The point from GH55 was a generalization of bicyclists that fail to properly identify themselves with appropriate lighting, clothing color, reflective material, etc... If the situation is as written by Becky Vargo then, the bicyclist should have received the ticket(if any) and not the driver of the vehicle. We all hope the bicyclist will recover quickly, no doubt, but thats not the point. If he had protective lighting/clothing this situation would not of happened. I feel for the driver as much. To hit someone that was not visible in these conditions would scare the hell out of anyone.

I have drove down that road hundreds of times both day and night... I see bikes and people walking all the time also in the dark and light and not always properly marked. Time to take a little responsibliltiy and watch where you are going and get off the cell phones...